You'll find
restaurants
offering dishes from every
region of France and overseas in
Lyon. Vieux-Lyon is the area
with the greatest concentration
of eateries, though you'll find
cheaper and less busy ones
between place des Jacobins and
place Sathonay at the top of the
Presqu'île. The possibilities
are endless, but on weekends
booking ahead is always a good
idea. The most affordable type
of Lyonnais eating
establishment, the
bouchon
(cork), derived its name from
the vast quantities of Lyonnais
wine consumed there. Tradition
has it that wine bottles were
lined up as the evening
progressed, and at the end of
the night the bill was
determined by measuring from the
first cork to the last. There
are several
bouchons
located in the streets between
Cordeliers and Terreaux,
particularly in rue Mercière.
Restaurants
L'Amphitryon , 33 rue
St-Jean, 5e (tel 04.78.37.23.68;
Mº Vieux-Lyon). Usually packed
restaurant serving Lyonnais
specialities; menu for under
100F/?15.25. Service till
midnight.
Brasserie 24 Collonnes a
la Une , 79 rue des Trois
Maries, 5e (Mº Vieux-Lyon).
Near the cathedral, this
friendly brasserie, with an
early twentieth-century mirrored
and stained-glass interior,
becomes a jazzy piano-bar at
night. Menus from 98F/?14.95.
Open daily 10am-midnight.
Café des Fédérations
, 8 rue du Major-Martin, 1er (tel
04.78.28.26.00; Mº Hôtel-de-Ville).
Typical bouchon serving
the earthiest of Lyonnais
specialities (marinated tripe,
black pudding and fish quenelles
) in an atmosphere to match:
there's even sawdust on the
floor. Menu at 118F/?18
lunchtimes, 148F/?22.57 dinner.
Closed Sat, Sun & Aug.
Chez Léon , Halles de
la Part-Dieu, 102 cours
Lafayette, 3e (tel
04.78.62.30.28; Mº Part-Dieu).
Bar and restaurant in the market
halls, whose specialities
include seafood and snails.
Around 150F/?22.88 for a
good-sized meal. Closed May-Aug.
Léon de Lyon , 1 rue
Pléney, 1er (tel
04.78.28.11.33; Mº Hôtel-de-Ville).
Sophisticated and delicious
eating, with original culinary
creations as well as traditional
Lyonnais recipes in this
upmarket brasserie, whose huge
interior is divided into
intimate and warmly panelled
smaller dining areas. Menus cost
from 650F/?99.13, but there's a
lunch menu for 290F/?44.23.
La Mère Brazier , 12
rue Royale, 1er (tel
04.78.28.15.49; Mº Croix-Paquet).
A beautiful setting complements
the excellent food, like Bresse
chicken, artichoke hearts on
foie gras, truffle crêpes - but
it's very expensive. From
330F/?50.33, but you can easily
spend twice as much. Closed Sun,
Sat lunch & Aug.
La Meunière , 11 rue
Neuve, 1er (tel 04.78.28.62.91;
Mº Hôtel-de-Ville). Booking is
essential in this excellent bouchon
, but it's worth it for the
170F/?25.93 menu of course after
course of Lyonnais specialities.
Other menus start at 98F/?14.95.
Closed Sun, Mon & July &
Aug.
Paul Bocuse , 40 rue
de la Plage,
Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or (tel
04.72.42.90.90). Lyon's most
famous restaurant, named after
its celebrity chef-owner, is 9km
north of the city, on the west
bank of the Saône. Traditional
French gastronomy is the bill of
fare, with stunning crême brûlée
and baba au rhum .
520F/?79.30 upwards.
Le Petit Glouton , 56
rue St-Jean, 2e (tel
04.78.74.30.12; Mº Vieux-Lyon).
A small but airy and
unpretentious bistro in the
heart of Vieux-Lyon. You can
dine inside or on the small
street-side terrace for under
100F/?15.25.
La Tour Rose , 22 rue
B?uf, 5e (tel 04.78.37.25.90; Mº
Vieux-Lyon). Gastronomic palace
with concoctions like asparagus
with an oyster mousse or salad
of lobster and spinach with a
creamed truffle sauce. From
295F/?44.99. Closed Sun.
